


Dragon Tamer

by aslytherspuff



Series: The Wish Fulfillment Universe [6]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Alternate Universe - Soulmates, Domestic Fluff, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, M/M, Romance, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-12
Updated: 2020-03-12
Packaged: 2021-02-28 17:15:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,292
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23120833
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/aslytherspuff/pseuds/aslytherspuff
Summary: Charlie's POVNOVEMBER 1998Three months after Draco joined the Romanian Dragon Sanctuary to complete his sentence, he and Charlie are trying to navigate their relationship.  Draco is desperate to become a better person, and Charlie is doing his best to guide him.**Part of the Wish Fulfillment Universe**Can be read and understood separately, but you really should read Wish Fulfillment because it's absolutely adorable (and angsty - but still adorable).
Relationships: Draco Malfoy/Charlie Weasley
Series: The Wish Fulfillment Universe [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1587355
Comments: 6
Kudos: 165





	Dragon Tamer

**Author's Note:**

  * For [believesinponds](https://archiveofourown.org/users/believesinponds/gifts).



> Requested by believesinponds.

**NOVEMBER 1998**

Charlie finished off his latest letter to Harry – written, as always, under the mostly-genuine guise of providing valuable experience and information for Harry's Care of Magical Creatures N.E.W.T. – and smiled sadly at the filled parchment as he folded it into an envelope.

“Still nothing?” a voice came from behind him as pale arms snaked around his waist. His breathing hitched slightly, as it always did when he received rare, casual physical affection from his guarded soulmate. They'd yet to put a name to their arrangement despite sharing a cabin – and a bed – but Charlie was already half in love with the man. He had been for years, if he was honest with himself, and now he was falling more in love with his impertinent little lover every single day.

He shook his head. “Nothing yet, Dragon,” he replied, keeping his voice light in spite of the emotions warring in his chest, and the feelings lifted slightly at the thought of Harry and Ron's faces if they knew that their school rival, of all people, was secretly yet intimately involved in the Weasley plot to get them together.

Charlie spun on the chair to face him, and without warning, Draco threw himself down none too gently onto Charlie's lap, arms crossed and pouting dramatically. Charlie raised an eyebrow in warning. He'd known his little Dragon would be a challenge ever since he'd first met him at the Quidditch World Cup four years ago, but that didn't mean he'd let him get away with things. “Dragon,” he said, firmly, “I'd like you to try that again, please.”

Draco flushed and lowered his eyes as he climbed out of Charlie's lap much more carefully than he'd gotten into it, then reluctantly turned to face him.

“I'm sorry,” he mumbled, face burning, and the red-head smiled. When Draco had come to the sanctuary three months ago with a chip on his shoulder the size of a Hungarian Horntail, he'd self-righteously snarled at Charlie that “ _a Malfoy never apologises_ ”. That had become Charlie's first challenge. It was still difficult for him to actually say 'sorry', but Charlie was fine with that, so long as he _did_.

“Apology accepted,” he responded calmly, watching as Draco shifted uncomfortably in front of him, twisting his fingers together and staring resolutely at the wooden floor of their cabin. Charlie waited.

Draco mumbled something incoherent, his cheeks painted a brilliant red as he did. At first, Charlie ignored it, hoping that he would repeat himself. When he didn't, Charlie reached out to run his fingers softly over Draco's sharp cheekbones, delighting in how they flushed darker under his touch. He didn't think he'd ever tire of making his Dragon blush. “Could you say that again, please, Dragon?”

'Please' and 'thank you' were also challenging for Draco, so Charlie had become especially vigilant about using them himself as often as possible both at home and at work. Modelling behaviour worked on dragons and children, and he was sure it would work on Draco. He'd had bad influences and examples around him all his life, but he wasn't those people. He wasn't the person he pretended to be under all the sneering and sharp words he used as armour. Charlie knew that, but he wasn't sure Draco did, not just yet.

Draco's eyes fluttered shut as he leaned his cheek into the calloused, scarred hand, and a soft sigh escaped his lips.

“What did you say, my Dragon?” Charlie prompted, softly.

This time, he didn't hesitate. Without opening his eyes or removing his cheek from Charlie's palm, his lips twitched up into a soft smile. “Can I please sit in your lap?”

His voice was quiet but clear, and Charlie's heart stuttered in his chest. “Yes, Dragon. Thank you for asking.”

Draco scrambled eagerly – though gently, this time – back into Charlie's lap, wrapping his arms tightly around his broad waist and nuzzling happily into his neck. “Thank you,” he whispered, entirely unprompted, and Charlie's heart swelled painfully with love and pride for his soulmate. _This_ was the soft, loving, gentle boy Draco should have been – _could still become_ , he firmly reminded himself.

When Draco had – indirectly, and somewhat disrespectfully – demanded Charlie's help just two days into his time at the sanctuary, Charlie had never once doubted his ability to change. But the speed with which his soulmate had transformed from a sullen, combative little brat into a (usually) calm, confident man – albeit with a sharp tongue and no tolerance for fools – made Charlie's head spin and his chest burst with pride. He was a good man, and everyone at the sanctuary commented on the changes they'd seen in him over the past months. It was easier for Draco to shed his armour when he was surrounded by people who didn't know him and didn't care about his family name or the mark on his arm. But Draco had promises to keep that meant a return to England was inevitable, if unenviable.

Running his fingers slowly through Draco's baby soft locks, Charlie gathered his Gryffindor courage to ask a question he had never asked any one else in his twenty-six years on this planet. “Dragon,” he murmured, pressing his lips to Draco's temple reassuringly, “would you please come home for Christmas with me?”

Draco tensed instantly, his body turning to steel in Charlie's arms. “No.”

The red-head continued softly stroking his blond hair and began to trail his fingers along his soulmate's spine. He knew Draco's refusal was a knee-jerk reaction; his tone was filled with hate and venom, but his Dragon was all bark and no bite. He was scared, and that was okay.

“Harry tells me your mother and Andromeda have begun to build bridges, and your little cousin, Teddy, is already sitting up all by himself,” Charlie said conversationally. Confronting Draco directly over this would get him nowhere. The harder Charlie pushed, the harder Draco would dig his heels in.

Draco said nothing, but Charlie felt his shoulders relax infinitesimally as he continued to run his fingers along his spine. Charlie had written to Andromeda to ask that she ensure Narcissa was at the Weasley family dinner, and if she could achieve that, then he could surely manage to talk Draco into attending.

“He's a metamorphmagus, like his mum. My mum said he spends most of his life as a mini-Ron. Can you imagine?” Charlie goaded, his voice light, “one of the last of the House of Black all freckly and ginger?” He mock-shuddered, and out of the corner of his eye, he saw Draco's lips twitch with amusement.

“Theo will be there, too, I imagine. And maybe Zabini, who's apparently gotten himself trapped by the terrifying force of nature that is my little sister.” Draco's lips twitched again. “Us freckly, ginger folk are contaminating the whole Wizarding World,” he whispered consiprationally, “just you wait and see. There will be a freckly Malfoy, next.”

Draco shot upright, glaring indignantly. “There will absolutely _not_ be,” he retorted, but Charlie had already caught the split-second glimmer of hope in his eyes at the mention of their hypothetical children. Charlie suppressed the grin that fought to take over his face; they may never had put anything into words but, in moments like this, he had no doubt that his Dragon loved him.

“But there will be a Malfoy at Christmas dinner,” he said, softly, pulling Draco back into his chest so that he could grin without being seen. A few moments later, his Dragon grumbled ungraciously, but nodded against his shoulder.

“Fine. But if you leave my side, I'll kill you.”

Charlie's grin was so wide it felt like it was splitting his cheeks in two.

“Of course, my Dragon.”

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry it's taken so long to get a new addition to this universe up. Real life is a bitch.


End file.
